IMEA FESTIVAL
SIU-Carbondale
Saturday, November 1 - 2008

Please see Mrs. Tessereau ASAP for music.  Auditions require a scale and an etude.  The scales are posted in the Belleville East website under "audition materials".  Click on your instrument and print them out!  You will need to get the etude from Mrs. Tessereau.  It would be great to get these before summer vacation!

 WHAT IS IMEA?

Every student has an opportunity to audition for the Illinois Music Educators Association (IMEA) Festival Band. This is the most honored event that takes place in our school band programs. It is an honor for students to be selected to perform in the IMEA Festival Band. Schools from Alton to Chicago will be competing for a place in the Festival Band. The high level of competition is what makes this festival so prestigious.

The students auditioning will attend an audition on Columbus Day (October 13) in Highland. We will carpool to Highland. (A BUS WILL NOT BE PROVIDED!!!)  Upon arrival at Highland, students will sign their name on the appropriate door for an audition time. When it is time for them to audition, they will enter the classroom, by themselves, and perform for a judge. The student will play the IMEA scale sheet for one judge and a challenging etude for another judge. When everyone has finished their audition, we eat lunch at a restaurant in Highland and come home. We will get back to Wolf Branch between 2:00ish p.m.

It usually takes a couple of weeks before I receive the results from the auditions. If your student is selected to perform in the IMEA Festival Band, he/she will be performing at SIU-Carbondale on Saturday, November 1. We will need to be at SIU-Edwardsville at 8:30 a.m. The students practice all day and give a performance in the evening. This band usually sounds like an advanced high school band.

IMEA at the Middle School level prepares students for IMEA at the High School level. IMEA at the High School level is even more prestigious. They have a District IMEA Festival Band, but they also have a State Festival Band for students that place high in the District Band. If you are able to go to All-State, colleges will flood you with scholarship offers!

I hope that this explains about what your child has an opportunity to do. I encourage all students to audition. 

I am extremely proud of the students that are interested in pursuing this challenge!!!

IMEA SCHEDULE - 2007

Driving Directions to Highland

These were the only driving directions that I could find, however, I know there is a faster way.  I used to play in the community band out there and I don't remember it taking me 55 minutes to get there:( 

General Audition Information

This informs you of the contest in general.  We need to enter through the lobby.  The students coming on busses have a different enterance.

Floor Plan of Highland Elementary School

It may be a good idea for everyone to copy this to take with you.  We will not have the room assignments for the auditions until we get there Monday morning.

Students may want to bring some cash.  They will have a consession stand available for snacks. 

Students to audition on Columbus Day
 
08-09